Alberea
Category:Nations Alberea is one of the nations of the land of Kharlia. Alberea exists as a part of the Third Valikorlian Empire, and is renowned for the quality of its soldiers and its faith in Wol, God of Law. Core Statistics Age: Newer. Lands: The Northwestern highland peninsula of Kharlia. Leaders (OOC): Dax Main Ethnicities: Human - Plainsman (69%), Human -Valikorlian (30%), Human - Other origins (1%). Population Estimate: 32,000. Religion / Worshipped Gods: Wol(Major), Xerxa(Minor) System of Government: Monarchy. Technological Development: Medium. Allies and Friends: House Smarth, the Dwarves of Hammerforge, The Lordship of Bridgeton. Important Figures * Derick Decorrian, Baron of Urswold(NPC). * Jack Garside, Baron of Hawkswarren(NPC). * Jonathan Alber, First King of Alberea. * Maevelle Edana Alber, princess. * Morriwen Endar Relmyn, keeper of the temple and prophet. * Quentin Garside, Knight of Wol. * Sir Arthur du Lac, a man from a fairy tale. * Cedric Alber, the young man who stabilized northern Kharlia, and the founder of the Third Valikorlian Empire. Important Locations * Alber's Pass, Canyon where Alberea defeated the Viith-sos Army. * Hawkswarren, Barony under Garside's control. * Larneborn, Capital city of Alberea. * Urswold, Barony under Decorrian's control. Alberea's history, culture, and other information Alberea's History The Beginning When the Valikorlian Empire still dominated most of the continent, a nobleman by the name of Jonathan Alber had jurisdiction over the city of Larneborn. Larneborn was nestled in the rolling foothills and plains near the Vertigo mountain range. Being on the southern half of the continent, Larneborn was treated as nothing more than an inconvenience to the Empire. Supplies for the people arrived weeks later than they should have. The empire didn't supply them with guards, and the original inhabitants of the city had to be trained to defend the city from the sporadic Dalmarite invasions. The same situation held true to the lumber town of Hawkswarren and the mining village of Urswold. All three of the imperial strongholds learned to rely on eachother for support, and together they carved out a living with little aid from the Valikorlians. Jonathan Alber was a man of faith. The Valikorlians and the Dalmarites had given up on the gods. He was ridiculed for holding onto his belief that a righteous and just god would repay him for his faith. His emotional words and powerful faith swayed the Duke Darius Garside and the Duke Siegmund Osbearn to also believe that divine rescue was coming for their insignificant strongholds. The people under the leadership of Alber, Garside, and Osbearn also bore the same faith after it became common knowledge that all three of the wise men held faith in a just god saving them. Months before the battle between the Riovannes Revolutionaries and the Dalmarites, a preacher of some sort came to Larneborn. He was a traveller from distant lands, he proclaimed, and a prophet of a god going by the name of Wol. He didn't much look like the Kharlian depiction of a holy man. He wielded a quarterstaff as a weapon. His robes were of poor quality, and tattered on top of that. He was young and rugged. He was worldly and priestly all at the same time. Instead of invoking his god to assist him, he'd just do things himself. His name was Morriwen Relmyn. He said he was from a continent called Meridiem. Being so far away from society, the plainsmen of Larneborn at first didn't believe in the existence of another land mass. The dukes were intrigued by the traveller, even if the people didn't believe his words. They sent for him almost instantly. The prophet and the dukes met at the castle in Larneborn, where the dukes asked the traveller many questions about his god. All the answers they heard pleased them, and they asked that he stay in Larneborn and preach Wol's teachings to the people. Morriwen was overjoyed with the request. In all the cities he had visited on the Kharlian continent, he was chased out for 'preaching about false gods'. The Dalmarites and the valiant soldiers of Riovannes had finally started war with each other by the time Morriwen had finished preaching the ways of Wol: how to uphold the law, how to abstain from greed, how to wage war. Among other things, Morriwen had began teaching a few highly-pious individuals about how to be a knight in the eyes of Wol. When the siege of Riovannes began, five men had been inducted into Wol's services. Aside from the three dukes, Vohan Bartholomew Beornulf, a pure-bred plainsmen, and Derick Decorian, who was a vassal of Siegmund Osbearn served in the order as squires. The Split Soon after the knighting ceremony, the dukes held a meeting with Morriwen. Morriwen informed them that a life of servitude wasn't meant for the noble people of Larneborn, Hawkswarren, and Urswold. After much deliberation, the dukes sent a messenger to Valikorlia. The messenger didn't wear the Valikorlian colors, but a red and blue tabard with a chess piece king embroidered with bright yellow cloth in the center. He informed the empress that the three duchies were leaving Valikorlia to form their own kingdom. Alberea had been formed under the joint leadership of the King Jonathan Alber and the Barons Darius Garside and Siegmund Osbearn. Infuriated, the empress sent a good portion of her troops to reclaim the rebel kingdom. Unafraid of the vast empire, a call-to-arms was sounded. The small kingdom brought one-hundred and sixteen soldiers together for the cause of fighting for Wol and the very existence of Alberea. The Baron Siegmund Osbearn asked for permission to take an advance force forward to strike against the Valikorlians. Alber and Garside agreed to this, and the thirty-odd fighting men of Urswold mobilized to strike first against the Valikorlians. The Dishonest Man Siegmund's son, Peter, was a dishonest man. He thought only of himself, and often abused his father's power to better himself. When Urswold seceded with the other duchies, Peter had started thinking of ways to betray his father and gain favor in Valikorlia. When the Valikorlians came to attack, he figured out a way to kill his father and take the title of "Baron of Urswold" for himself. He commanded the soldiers to stop during the charge and retreat while Siegmund was still charging to meet the Valikorlians, and then he would deliver Urswold into the hands of the Empire when he inherited his father's possessions. The day of battle came, and Siegmund charged out with his fighting men to meet the Valikorlians. As ordered, his troops fell back while he went on alone to fight the imperial army. All the soldiers except one. The knight of Wol and vassal of the Baron of Urswold, Derick Decorian, charged out from the retreating soldiers to defend his lord. The baron had raised him ever since he was twelve, and for that he would gladly end his own life to preserve Siegmund's. Not knowing anything of retreat or cowardice, Siegmund defended himself valiantly against the wave of Valikorlian invaders. Derick broke through the lines of the Valikorlians to save his lord three times, but each time he had cleared a path, the baron would refuse to leave until he or the enemy was defeated. The fourth time that Derick broke through, a soldier had managed to run the baron through the right side of his chest. Derick rushed forward, and protected Siegmund with his own body. He reached the city of Larneborn before the Valikorlians could overtake him. The armsmen of Larneborn and Hawkswarren forced the Valikorlians into retreat, but they had not defeated the empire just yet. While Siegmund was on his death bed, Derick explained Peter's ruse to him. Peter's punishment would be worse than death. For his loyalty and display of courage, Derick was given all of Urswold to command. All of Alberea remembers the courageous baron. Songs have been dedicated in honor of his lone charge, and a famous Alberean warcry demands "vengence for Osbearn." Derick returned to Urswold in mourning. Assuming that his ruse had succeeded, Peter had taken over Urswold by force. After a short clash between the few loyal soldiers Peter had, Derick made his way into the mansion. He informed Peter that the Decorian family would now watch over Urswold, as decreed by Siegmund Osbearn. For his crimes against his family, Peter was exiled from Alberea. The Survivalists Valikorlia continued to make unsuccessful campaigns to reclaim the three duchies. All the generals sent to conquer the rebel nations were sent back in ribbons or utter shame. The Alberean armed forces continued using strategy to cleave through the numbers, such as the burning of supply depots and cleverly placed ambushes. During the sixth campaign, the Empire fell under attack on the home front. The long arm of the Dragon Lords laid Valikorlia to waste, effectively ending Valikorlia's reclamation campaigns. Thus, Valikorlia died and Alberea soldiered on. Helkate However, not long after that, the Helkate-era Dalmar Empire began to plot an offensive strike against Alberea. The city of Larneborn was surrounded by nightfall, and violently woke up the city. The young squire, Vohan Mahivera, and ten soldiers were the only people who elected to stay behind and hold off the invasionary forces. The rest of the troops were to defend the king in his retreat. Unfortunately, while the preparations to retreat to Urswold were still being made, the Dalmarites broke through the battlements and began ransacking the interior city. Desperate to save his king, Vohan met the Dalmarite invasion force at the steps that led into the castle. Unafraid of the wave of enemies, young Vohan charged out on horseback towards the Dalmarite forces. He suffered several arrow and bolt wounds, though none damaged him severely. Ignoring most of the peon soldiers in the front, Vohan tore through enemy lines while his unit cleaned house on the soldiers who remained standing. Vohan went straight for the Dalmarite officer in charge, and the surprised officer could only fire an arrow into Vohan's shield arm. Vohan tore out the arrow and used it to lance the Dalmarite officer through the face. King Alber and the castle guards rushed in to assist Vohan's unit as the officer was brain-stabbed. Inspired by the raw courage of the squire, the guards began to push back the Dalmarites. Sadly, all but two of the soldiers Vohan took with him died that day. Dalmarite Retreat After the officer and most of the invasion force was pushed back, Dalmar decided not to attack the small kingdom any more. Thus ended Dalmar's attempt to expand its empire. Vohan Bartholomew was rewarded with the title of "Knight of Wol." The Albereans rebuilt Larneborn in the peaceful months that came after the Dalmarite invasion. They devoted the time of peace to creating more advanced armorsmithing techniques. Since there were so few soldiers, the Albereans had to make sure they could take a few hits. On top of the armorsmithing, most of the citizens of Alberea were converted to worshipping Wol. Viith-sos Invasion Of course, time passed and the Viith-sos began to take over Kharlia a little bit at a time. First Bridgeton, then Dalmar, and then most of Northern Kharlia. The magic warriors soon set their eyes on the small kingdom of Alberea, ready to tackle them head-on. The tiny army of Alberea was about to have an extended siege by the mighty Viith-sos empire. The Garside family of Hawkswarren was looking over the peasants as they worked in the fields outside of the forest where the barony was nestled. The Baron Darius noted the wave of black coming their way, and he ordered the peasants to return to their homes. Apparently, the Viith-sos were planning to use Hawkswarren as a base of operation for the siege against Larneborn. The three Garsides (Darius, Jack, and Quentin) went out to meet the task force sent to eliminate the peasants. The troopers sent to take out the peasants in the field quickly met their fate by the weaponry wielded by the baron and his sons. They hadn't had a moments rest when the main force began charging in. Again the Garsides met their enemy mid-way, and fought hard to push them back towards Selnic. Viith-sos Vesveras was personally leading the campaign against the Albereans, and he found himself in a duel with Quentin. Quentin and the overlord clashed while Jack and Darius cut down the oncoming wave of troopers. Jack, wild and vigorous compared to his brother's calmer nature, hacked up soldier after soldier as they came at him. Old Baron Garside tried his hardest to keep up with his son's pace, but was wearying quickly. Vesveras, however, couldn't manage to get the best of Quentin no matter what magic he threw at the lad. He signaled to one of his troopers, and they fired an arrow at Quentin while he was still dueling against the overlord. Baron Garside intercepted the arrow with his stomach, and fell to the ground. Impassioned by the fall of his father, Jack ran back to the fallen body of the baron and stood his ground firmly. His halberd continued ending the troopers as they charged to kill him and his father. Quentin, however, clobbered Vesveras with his mace. A long scar from a flang on Quentin's mace was the result: thus, Dax's scar on his face. In pain from the crushing blow, Vesveras retreated back into the ranks of the troopers. Quentin desperately followed, eventually making his way to his brother's side and assisting him in pushing back the soldiers. When Vesveras finally retreated, the Viith-sos army followed their leader. Jack's hand had to be pried from the shaft of his pike because it had frozen there from overexertion. Darius died that day, but not before bequething the family shield and title of "Baron of Hawkswarren" to Jack. Because of his duel against the Viith-sos overlord, Quentin joined the ranks of the Knights of Wol. Jack and Quentin were dubbed "warriors worth thousands" by the people of Hawkswarren. A Counter-Attack Again, the Viith-sos attempted to take Alberea. The Dalmarite Rebellion, led by the Somantios, was crushed during the days the majority of the Viith-sos troopers ran rampant on the southern part of the Kharlian continent. Not even caring who they killed, hundreds of innocents from the multitude of farming villages and small cities dotting the continent fell before wave upon wave of troops. Not one to take such senseless murder lightly, King Alber ordered that all of his armsmen armor up. Every Knight of Wol was also asked to participate in the counter-attack. Unafraid of the challenges and ever-present threat of death, the princess of Alberea donned the scale and leather armor most of the peasant troops wore into battle. Maevelle Edana Alber enlisted into the armed forces of Alberea under the assumed name of "Mae Lahn." Mae Lahn soon became a top-notch soldier due to her Alberean fencing training with her father, as well as her seemingly inhuman physical conditioning. Being the eldest child of the royal family, it was up to her to rule the kingdom with her husband when the time came for Jonathan to pass away. Over the weeks that the Viith-sos clashed with the Alberean militiamen, the endless waves of the Viith-sos began to push the Albereans backwards. Soon they found themselves trapped in the mountain canyon, riddled with cliffs and steep drops. With nowhere left to run, King Jonathan Alber personally led his soldiers onwards to fight the Viith-sos troopers who had them pinned inside the mountain. Morriwen the Prophet, Vohan Mahivera, Jack and Quentin Garside, and Maevelle found themselves leading a dwindling army at Jonathan's side. When the time for battle came, Morriwen led a group of top-class halberdiers to meet the first waves of troops. Maevelle and Vohan had been given light infantrymen to commence tactical attacks. Jack, Quentin, and Jonathan would press the attack with the remaining soldiers and help Morriwen overwhelm a hopefully demoralized Viith-sos army. From the rocky cliffs of the mountains on the west side of the canyon, Maevelle led her troops onto the Viith-sos base camp. Within a few moments, the supply depot was set ablaze and confusion rose among the troopers. Morriwen's halberdiers, who had just a few moments ago been forced into retreating, charged again and began pushing back the troopers in their confusion. Maevelle, however, figured she could push the attack from inside the camp and take the commanding officer's head. Mace in hand, she led her troops onwards. Within moments, Maevelle and her troops had pressed into the main tent. Viith-sos Shaan'kwel, apprentice of Vesveras, calmly sat in a state of meditation. When the Alberean troops successfully infiltrated his tent, he rose and charged the soldiers. Maevelle blocked his first flurry, which had been directed at her, but soon the magic warrior had overpowered the unit and killed all of her soldiers. Maevelle herself was hard-pressed to keep up with the overlord's furious pace. Skilled though she was, Shaan'kwel kicked off her helmet and forced her to drop her weapon. The sound of battle outside the tent distracted Shaan'kwel for a moment. The tent door was opened, and Jonathan Alber flung himself on top of Shaan'kwel in a desperate attempt to save Mae Lahn, whom he didn't know was actually his daughter. Shaan'kwel kicked the aging king off of him, and commenced another duel with the elder man. Jonathan's swordsmanship and shieldbearing skills proved too much for the Viith-sos' fencing. Despite being a good thirty-nine years old, Jonathan defeated Viith-sos Shaan'kwel and cut off the leadership of the Viith-sos invasion. The moutain pass south of where Selnic used to be is called "Alber's Pass" by the Albereans. It's considered a holy place. Often, squires must come here for part of their trial to become a Knight of Wol. The Present & Future Alberea is still reeling from the devastating losses it incurred during the Viith-sos campaigns. Many brave men and women died, including two of the founding leaders of Alberea. The cities of Hawkswarren and Urswold, as well as a good portion of Larneborn, were damaged by the constant fighting. Jonathan Alber is spearheading a cultural and intellectual advancement in an attempt to create a flourishing nation, despite all the setbacks it has incurred. The (Assumed) End of the Golden Age Jonathan Alber was never content with sitting on a throne. He was a warrior; a hero. During his reign, his personal feats are counted and recorded alongside those of his brave soldiers and knights. Recently, however, there has been a change in this. When the original land of Alkor was rediscovered, Jonathan left his throne, and joined Harrison Campbell on his quest to discover the mystery behind the dreaded and apparently damned lands. Rumor has it that he was touched by the goddess Lo herself during his adventures. When Alkor was sinking beneath the sea once more, Harrison Campbell and Jonathan led their adventurers through the now monster-infested forest. Harrison felled one of the two giant demons of Alkor on the way, using the Bow of Light. He is counted among the heroes of Alberea for his deeds. Jonathan remained in Alkor to fight the second demon. He was presumed dead. Return of the King, and the Wandering Son But of course, he hadn't fallen in battle. King Alber was blessed by the gods, and found himself washed up on Meridiem. For months, he lived off the land and searched for a city that he could sail from. In the meantime, Princess Maeville Edana Alber assumed control over her father's throne. She found the job too challenging, however, and her eyes turned to the horizon. She sent out several cadres of Alberean scouts to look for her brother, Cedric Lloyd Kain Alber. The maverick prince had left home years before, accompanied only with a handful of childhood friends, and became a mercenary of very little renown. However, Jonathan returned home before his son could be found. From his throne in the Larneborn Plains, he watched his Valikorlian brothers slowly fall into civil war upon civil war. Monarchies came, monarchies fell, and his brow furrowed deeper and deeper with each deposed ruler. In the meantime, the remaining Dalmarites had banded together and started to outfit their war machine once again. When River Delphinus became king of Valikorlia, King Alber had simply had enough. Taking with him only his sword and shield should River get unruly, he left his throne for Greendale. There, he and Arolas Kanosek removed River from the throne and instituted a new monarchy under the Alber family. The wayward sister-nations formed together under one banner... and for the first time in years, the flag of Valikorlia flew high. In Service to Valikorlia The Albereans contributed their knowledge of armor smithing and fighting to the Imperial Army. Although seen as little more than barbarians to their Valikorlian cousins, they dutifully served with the Oakburn Regiment and the Imperial Guard in the capital. Along with Kano Michio, it was the Alberean armsman that taught the Greendale and Oakburn men-at-arms how to properly wield a variety of weapons. Indeed, the use of lightweight armor on their primary infantry units as well as the reintroduction of shields and pikes to the Valikorlians made it possible for them to weather the fist of Dalmar, the Abyssal Armies, and anything else that the Heavens through their way. Unfortunately, the hellfire that consumed the South Continent rocked the Larneborn Plains and set all of Alberea out to drift. Their entire nation was set out to sea during the Great Sundering. During the night of the dividing, a star fell from the sky and crashed into the center of Hawkswarren. The city was set ablaze, and the peasants were forced to flee. Creatures of a draconic nature soon began to overrun Hawkswarren, and it was Count Jack Garside(All Alberean barons were elevated to count status upon the reformation of the empire) and his band of knights that stayed behind so that all of his servants could escape. The star that fell left a lingering corruption on the people of Hawkswarren, and some have started to develop deformities. These people are known as "the Broken." It is unknown what has become of Hawkswarren, Urswold, and Larneborn. What fate has befallen the sons of Wol...? The Alberean Code of the Armed Forces 1. Your commander is the arm and you are the spear. Serve him and never leave his hand, for a spear and an arm are nothing alone. 2. A commander must defend his troops at all costs excluding honor. When a retreat is ordered, make sure your men leave the field before you retreat. If one falls, shield him with steel and flesh. 3. A warrior will never use his fists in a battle. Hands are implements of creation, not weapons. If you are disarmed fully, surrender your life and not your dignity. 4. If a man surrenders, do not kill him. Compassion gains friends and mercy sways the wayward. 5. If you kill a man on the field because he won't surrender, pray for his soul for a moment. Like you, he serves someone and defended their honor with his blood. 6. Give the enemy a chance to surrender before engaging. Chaos makes chaos and peace makes peace. 7. The leader of the army is your target, not his troops. He has incited the wrath of Wol and he will make up for his transgressions. 8. Striking a man from behind is foul, because he can't defend himself. He is like a child, because he won't know why darkness consumes him. 9. The Gods set boundries for the elements, and wizards cross them. In the name of your god, strike them down. 10. Obey the king, for he loves you and will lay down his life for any of his fighting men. 11. An Alberean will never refuse a dwarf in need! Additional Chivalric Rules 1. A knight will respect his comrades, his enemies, his lord, his king, and Wol. Defend their honor, even if you dislike them. 2. Love is beautiful. A knight will not defile himself with a wayward woman. 3. Only the king of Alberea will use a sword, because it ends life when a mace spares it. 4. A knight represents all Wol and Alberea stand for, and a knight will act properly in public. 5. A knight settles disputes between those who argue. Justice and law are to be defended, because with those comes unity and peace. 6. When a knight chooses a squire, the lad will be wise. He will treat the squire as his own child, because he will follow his teacher to death and beyond. 7. If a knight sees the poor being persecuted, shoo his offenders and give the man your family crest. All will know that he is as blessed as any other, because you gave him the honor of joining your family. 8. A knight crooks his knee for no man who serves a foreign god. Death awaits traitors, because Wol's wrath is terrible. The Alberean Culture (More to be added when I feel like it) Family is an important part of an Alberean's life. Every family has a coat of arms, no matter if they're a peasant or the king. A common color scheme is red and blue with a shade of gray or yellow, but any combination of colors is acceptable. It's a normal thing for a family to have a shield made for the patriarch of the house, or even tabards tailored for every member of the family. The folks of Alberea love to tell stories, even if they're fictional. It's common for a knight to tell the people of a village, when visiting, of the exploits of a great hero that he is descended from or something he himself did. Famous playwrights have come from the Alberean plains, so they also enjoy watching plays, especially romantic or dramatic ones. They also have a love of music, and odd six-stringed instruments have popped up from time to time. On top of the six-string classical guitars, many Alberean minstrels play traditional drums as well as flutes. Festivals At least one festival will be held every month. Excluding the Festival of Wol, there will be a 'queen of the festival' elected by the knights. There will be an arm wrestling event held during the festival and the winner will get a kiss from the "queen". The Festival of Combat - A celebration of the might of humanity. These events focus mainly on contests of strength such as arm wrestling(Prior to the one for the 'queen', jousting, and swordplay. It's also a popular event for young men to meet young women. The festival is ended with a dramatic play about an ancient war. Held: On the sixteenth. Held on the month after the festival of Wol. The Festival of New Beginnings - A celebration of the human resilience through hard times. When the horrible parts of life end, the best soon begin. This festival includes many events, including a cooking contest, promptly followed by an eating one, a jousting tournament, and races. Before the end of the festival, there's a stage play about romance which is immediately followed by a ball. Held: On the [ date after I get Alberea approved ]. Held the month after the festival of Combat. The Festival of Wol - A more somber celebration, dedicated to the god of law. There is a day-long fast before the festival for the followers of Wol and they do not participate in combat for that day. That night, there is a large ball and a giant feast thrown for the faithful. There is no play for the Festival of Wol, as it is a solemn occassion. Held: On the twentieth of every month. Held the month after the festival of New Beginnings. The Alberean Core Classes Armsman: The soldier that makes up the very core of the Alberean army. Most of these soldiers are peasants equipped with their family shield along with weaponry and armor supplied by the blacksmiths of Urswold. Frontline armsmen are often outfitted with a scale hauberk, a scutum-style shield, a infantry lance, a pack of javelins, and a burgonet. Other armsmen wear the same armor, though are often much more lightly equipped. Kite shields and heater shields have become more and more popular among the more proficient melee fighters. No major requirements are needed to become an Armsman, other than citizenship. (Note: Though the Albereans refuse magic and are far behind in technology, they have managed to create lightweight steel to outfit their soldiers with, so that they won't overheat and be overloaded on the battlefield.) Sharpshot: Over months and months of war, the city of Hawkswarren has been able to test out several types of wood to see which one best suits a bow. Alberean sharpshots are often only given a yew longbow and a quiver full of arrows, although some opt to wear the scale armor of an armsman. Whether it's behind a wall of armsmen or a scouting job, a sharpshot lives up to his or her title. Many sharpshots carry a sidearm and buckler with them so that they can better defend themselves against people fighting them at a close range. (Note: A yew longbow can fire almost 600 yards. It can be used as a normal bow, which requires 3 turns, or fire a more powerful strike that is sure to puncture an enemy's armor) Militia(wo)man: While not trained to be 'professionals', these peasant do have the basic training required to make a mediocre soldier. These part-time warriors often only carry a family shield and leather armor, along with either a club with nails driven into it or a recurve bow for offense. People yearning to become a citizen in Alberea can serve in the militia. Note: Since militia(wo)men don't work full-time, they get no government benefits such as the arms(wo)man's steel armor or the sharpshot's longbow. Alberean advanced classes (Note that the title in the character's tag does not change when they advance to a new class.) Arms(wo)man Advancements Halberdier: Difficult to master but deadly in the hands of a professional, Alberean arms(wo)men can eventually earn the right and gain the skill to competantly wield a halberd. Baron Jack Garside proved the effectiveness of the halberd when he "slew a thousand mighty men" during the Viith-sos campaign. Cavalry(wo)man: Alberean steeds are tall and mighty, and the stout men and women who are given the honor of riding one are no different. Though often wreckless, cavalry tactics have proven indecently helpful in the survival of Alberea. Generally an Alberean will use a lance or other polearm on horseback, but successful cavaliers have also wielded two handed axes and mauls. Generally anything can be used; the horse is just an addition. Duelist: Some Albereans enjoy the thrill of fighting one-on-one against an opponent. Famed duelists such as Quentin Garside have emerged from Alberea. They carry a shield and a mace, axe, or short spear along with a kite or heater shield to defend themselves with. Needless to say, their skills with their weapon of choice is almost unmatched in all of Alberea. They can wear any set of Alberean armor, though many prefer lighter chain or scale armor to the heavy plate. Heavy Infantry: A good soldier knows the value of armor. Not many Albereans, however, have the constitution to carry a scutum and the several layers of armor worn by the illustrious Heavy Infantry of Alberea. These soldiers often find themselves left behind by their comrades on the field. The plus side to this, however, is that most of their armor is so thick and resilient that they can survive multiple direct strikes before being punctured. The standard is to be fully outfitted with steel plate with a steel chain underlay, but some soldiers elect to wear padded leather in lieu of chain for a bit more manueverability. Hatchet blades are forged onto their specially made boots so that they can injure and render an opponent useless without killing them. Sharpshot Advancement Sniper: If the enemy can't see you, then you probably can make them a pincushion. Snipers are sent on covert missions to assassinate targets, and sometimes even commissioned to set something ablaze. These soldiers forsake all armor and wear linen or cotton clothing to make sure they don't rustle as they move. Arbalesters: Though inititally hard to get a handle for, Alberean arbalesters are given a semi-portable arbalest to tote around with them. They carry around the arbalest in pieces disguised as construction equipment in carts drawn by oxen. The arbalest was introduced and improved upon by the young protigé and current Grand Marshal of Alberea's armed forces, Karsh of Dalmar Outrider: On the open plains, Albereans developed horseback hunting skills. Outriders are given only a bow and a horse, and expected to get the job done. They scout and pepper enemy armies, and are often the first to a fight. Due to their riding, archers must take an extra turn(Bringing the grand total up to 5 for yew longbows, 4 for a recurve) to prepare and fire an arrow. Master Bow(wo)man: Many sharpshots stay within the rank-and-file soldiers, and don't operate as covert operatives, scouts, or siegemasters. They can still choose the option of wearing scale armor, Being a masterbowman allows an piece of equipment that has saved many lives. The pavis shield(AKA 'the wall') is strapped to one arm and carried around by the bow(wo)man until an appropriate position is found. They place the pavis shield on three stands that support it and give the archer cover and the ability to use both hands again. While carrying the pavis, bow(wo)men cannot fire arrows, and melee is often clumsy. Crossbowman: The greatest advantage in war is to gain your enemy's weapons and turn the weapons against their creator. Grand Marshal Karsh brought designs for lightweight crossbows and arbalests to Alberea when he was captured and submitted to Alberea during the Dalmarite invasion. Being much easier to master and a lighter load, it's no wonder some Albereans pick up a crossbow. Though it doesn't shoot as far as a yew longbow, it does require less time to load, aim, and fire(Three turns like a regular crossbow). These crossbow(wo)men are often paired with a master bow(wo)man so they can cover the archer while he reloads. Prestige ranks Officer(Corporal, Lieutenant, Field Marshal, Grand Marshal): Soldiers distinguished for bravery, tactical skill, and moderate melee mastership are considered for becoming officers. There are only two field marshals and one grand marshal at any given time in Alberea. The grand marshal decides who becomes what when, and who goes back to what when. Corporals are commissioned to train lower ranking troops in combat, but they find themselves within the ranks when a battle comes. Lieutenants lead specific units into battle. The field marshals and grand marshal are in charge of commanding the entire army, and often times don't even see battle as they spend much of their time calculating and deciding how to combat the enemy, and what kind of soldiers to place where. Knight of Wol: If anyone is found devout, wise, brave, and strong enough to be a knight, he or she begins training to be a knight. At age 10 or up, people are molded into warriors of the Wol, and they uphold a strict moral guideline based around the supposed chivalric code of Valikorlia along with additional rules for Knights of Wol. They're seen as heroes among the commonfolk, because they have the wisdom to judge disturbances and problems that shouldn't require a constable. Misc. classes Peasant: This is a general term for someone who isn't nobility. There's not much to say here aside from the fact that all of them have a profession of some sort. Note: A peasant's profession will be their tag. Bards/Minstrels: These are the travelling musicians of Alberea. They put music to stories told by heroes, knights, war veterans, and whoever else enlists their services. They play at taverns and pubs for a fee, but other than that they make no money. Their love of music is what drives them. Playwright/Actor/Actress: Alberean plays are often held at the end of festivals, or as schedules events. Other than all playwrights brain storming on scripts, Alberean theatre workers carry on normal lives. Engineers/Siegemasters: While not officially part of the military, the engineers of Alberea who create and design siege weaponry are the ones who use them in war. Most engineers, however, try to create machinery that makes life easier for Albereans rather than harder on their enemies. (Verde is supposed to be doing something with the constables on Alberea. Ask him for more info. Maybe he'll have it.) See Also * Knighthood. * Code of Chivalry.